Door-catch.



No. 643,6I2.

Patented Fb. l3, I900. m. J. THUESTAD.

D O 0 R C A T G H (Application filed Aug. 16; 1899.)

(No Model.)

[N VEN TOR B Y a A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES 'MORTHEN .I. TIIUESTAD, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA,ASSIGNOR TO PATENT OFFICE.

ENDRE MATIAS LIND, OF SAME PLACE.

DOOR-CATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,612, dated February13, 1906.

Application filed August 16, 1 899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MORTHEN J. THUE- STAD, a citizen of Norway, residingat San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Door-Catches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved doorcatch, the object of myinvention being to provide a device of this character which will" beespecially suited for the doors of steamers or other vessels, and inparticular to provide a door-catch in which the door-hook shall beshielded when not in use, so as to avoid injury from the sharp pointthereof coming in contact with persons passing near the door, and onewhich will prevent rattling of the door when so held by said catch.

My invention therefore resides in the novel construction, combination,and arrangementof parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified,and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of my improvedcatch, the door and wall being shown in broken-away section. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the device in operation. Fig. 3 is a horizontalsection thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical section. Fig. 5 is an end view.Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the catch proper, and Fig. 7 is a verticalsection thereof.

I represent my improved catch secured to a door 2 by means of screws 3through the circular flange 4 at the base of the catch. From said flangeextends horizontally outward a short tube 5, and in said tube iscontained a hook whose shank 6 has a pivot-hole alined with two holes 7in opposite sides of the tube 5, and through said holes passes apivot-bolt 8. Thus said shank rocks vertically on said pivot. The shank6 has a forked tail 9, which is engaged by a pin 10, said pin being cutout on each side a short distance above its lower end, leaving a Web 11passing through said fork, so that a vertical movement of the pin ineither direction rocks the hook on its pivot. Said pin extends upwardthrough a hole in the tube 5 and carries on its upper end a suit- SerialNo. 727,441. (No model.)

able head 12, and between said head and the outer surface of the tube 5is interposed a compressedspiralspring22. Saidspringnormally raises thetail of the shank 6, and therefore normally depresses the hook 13 ofsaid shank. Cooperating with said hook isaloop 14, formed by a U-shapedpiece of metal secured by screws 15 to the wall 16, against which thedoor is to be held open, and when the door is swung open the inclinedfront face 17 of said hook engages the front of said loop and is raisedthereby against the pressure of the spring 22 until the hook passes oversaid loop and is held thereby. Pressure upon the head 12'of the pin 10will raise the hook and free the catch.

WVhen the door is closed, the hook is not in use, and in order toprevent injury to persons or clothing from the point of the hook in thisposition there is provided acylindrical sleeve 18, sliding upon the tube5 and having its outer end 19 closed except foravertically-elongatedslot 20, through which the hook 13 passes. A compressed spiral spring21, interposed between the outer end of the tube 5 and the inner surfaceofthe end 19 ofthe sleeve, serves to normally extend the sleeve from thetube, and the sleeve is sufficiently extended normally to completelyshield the hook l3 and prevent injury therefrom. Slots 23, cut in thesides of the sleeve and through which the pivot -bolt 8 passes, limitthis movement of the sleeve. When the door is swung wide open, the loop14 first engages the end 19 of the sleeve and pushes it inward on thetube 5, thereby exposing the point of the hook 13, and the continuedmovement of the door raises said hook and causes it to engage theloop inthe manner already explained.

The sleeve 18 and spring 21 perform two useful offices or functions-first, they prevent rattling of the hook and loop against eachother, and, secondly, they shield the front of the hook when not in useand prevent accidental injury or damage therefrom.

I claim- The combination of a catch on a door comprising a tube 5, ahook having a horizontal pivot in said tube, and having a tail, aspringactuated vertically-reciprocating pin engaglo the sleeve, and ahorizontal U-shaped loop on the opposite wall which said hook engages,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

M. J. TIIUESTAD.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS M. WRIGHT, CHAS. W. SMYTH.

